13 March 2020 THE RECONSTRUCTION PLAN OF THE LARNACA MARINA

Town Planning Amnesty extended to 2014

INTRODUCED in March 2011, Cyprus’ Town Planning Amnesty is designed to resolve some of the problems affecting an estimated 130,000 properties that have yet to be issued with their Title Deeds. The amnesty enables owners of houses and apartments to ‘legitimise’ planning infringements (on payment of a fine) and secure a Final Certificate of Approval and subsequently, the Title Deed. Only ‘minor’ infringements – such as closing up a balcony or building a garage – may be legalized in this way. The amnesty excludes cases where irregularities affect third parties or encroach on state property, or for flagrant violations such as the building ratio having been exceeded by 30 per cent or more. In cases of flagrant violations, the owner will be barred from selling the property although they will be able to bequeath it in their Will. The amnesty only applies to “existing buildings” which, according to article 10D of the Streets and Building (Revised) Law 2011, are those that have a Planning and/or a Building Permit (although they may have expired). The building must have been completed before the above law came into force on April 7, 2011. According to the latest law reform the period for the submission of a statement of intent by owners of buildings with irregularities expires on the 30th April 2014. Statements may be submitted by purchasers of individual properties (second homes or apartments) where the owner himself is not willing to do so.